Red Lips and Rosy Cheeks
by tardises-and-swans
Summary: Emma and Killian end up with each others suitcases on Christmas Eve.


**Red Lips and Rosy Cheeks**

 **A/N:** This is my CSSS gift to hook-come-back-to-me. Merry Christmas Katie!

"Mom, seriously, we just landed like 20 minutes ago. How did you know to call?" Emma asked as she scanned the luggage carousel for her and Henry's suitcases. Henry had gone off to the bathroom, having held it in the entire flight-the bathrooms on the plane were too gross to even go near. There was a crowd of her fellow passengers gathered around and behind her, no doubt just as impatient as she was to get their stuff. Henry's would be easy to spot, what with the giant Captain America shield decal on the back but hers was just a plain red one, and while that color wasn't as popular as the black ones, it was still common enough for it to blend in with the rest.

"A mother just knows Emma. Has your father made it there yet?"

"I don't know. We haven't made it outside to look." This was something that she was putting off until the very last minute-Maine was generally okay throughout the year but the winters were pretty brutal, and going out into the cold wind was the last thing she wanted to do, even if it was just for a few minutes to get into her dad's car.

"I hope he has the right terminal," her mother responded as Henry made it back.

"I'm sure he does. I'll call him. I think I see our suitcases though, so I'm gonna hang up. I'll see you in an hour or so." She spotted the tell-tale Captain America shield and a red suitcase next to it and motioned for Henry to grab both.

"Alright, I love you Emma."

Emma reciprocated and quickly hung up, sticking her phone in her back pocket and helping Henry lug their suitcases to the floor. They set them upright and pulled up the handles.

"Okay kid you ready to go?" she asked Henry.

"Yep. I called grandpa and he said he's waiting outside."

"Well then bundle up and let's go," she said and they headed outside into the chilly night air, where the first flurries of snow were just starting to fall.

Killian stood at the edge of the crowd, waiting for the people to dissipate so he could grab his stuff. He was in the midst of answering one of the five emails one of his clients had sent to him during the hour long flight from New York to Maine, most of which were upset about the fact that he was taking a week long vacation for Christmas instead of editing her somewhat compelling albeit poorly written adult novel.

 _Regina,_

 _Your story is very important to me and while I will do my best to get some of it read, I cannot make any guarantees that a lot will be done. My family is also very important to me and I would like to spend time with them for the holidays. If you have something pressing, please email my supervisor, Ruby, and she will handle it while I'm away._

 _Yours,_

 _Killian_

He had brought his laptop just in case something like this happened. He'd had needy clients before but none so much as her. Regina was the reason he had to take a later flight than he had wanted to, because she had wanted to meet with him. She insisted they meet often, not so much so that he could point out various flaws in her writing, but more so that she could point out why _he_ was wrong in saying they were flaws. He sighed, revelling in the fact that Ruby had insisted that she would handle Regina and his more vocal clients so that he could take a vacation. They had originally made plans to travel together since her grandmother lived in the same town as his parents. He used to see his family all the time before he had moved from his native Boston to New York and his work schedule limited him too seeing them a couple of times a year.

When his parents decided to move up to a small town called Storybrooke, it had become impossible for him to get the time off to go up there. His mother insisted that he call home at least once a week-he had forgotten once and had to endure 10 minutes of her yelling at him over the phone and never made the mistake again. Eventually, he began doing the same with his brother Liam, who still lived in Boston with his wife Aislinn and twin girls, Violet and Rosie. He made an effort to see them, as whenever he called they were usually the ones to pick up first and scream into the phone how much they missed him.

He looked up from his phone screen, seeing that a lot of the people who had been surrounding it were gone. He picked up his carry-on, which had most of the presents for his family, though some had to go in his suitcase and walked over to the carousel, which was almost empty. He spotted his red suitcase, picked it up and dragged it behind him as he left the airport. Snow had begun to fall, gently swirling around in the light from the street lamps. He passed a woman with long blonde hair and a brown headed boy waiting on the sidewalk, when a truck pulled up to them and a man got out. He waved down a taxi and as the driver got out to help him put his things in the trunk, he saw the man embrace the blonde woman and boy, apologizing for something. He got in, and the cab took off, and Killian looked out the window to see the man outside putting a red suitcase similar to his own in the back of the truck.

"Sorry! I thought it was the other terminal!" Emma's father, David, said as he got out of the truck and hurried to where she had and Henry were standing. She met him halfway reassuring him that it was okay. She gave him a hug and watched as Henry did the same. When they had left the airport, she had been expecting him to be waiting in his warm truck when in fact he had been waiting for about half an hour at a different terminal. It hadn't taken him long to get to them, but it was still long enough for Emma to feel chilled to her bones. She shivered as she watched him load up their things in the back of the truck, and a taxi went around him, it's headlights illuminating the snow that was starting to fall harder. He shut the door and hurried to open the passenger door for them, eager to get out of the cold and back into the warmth of the truck. Henry got in first and scooted across the bench towards the wheel and Emma climbed in after him. David shut the door and went around the front of the truck. He got in, shut the door to the wind and they were off.

"So how was the flight?" he asked once everyone had settled. Emma warmed her frozen hands in front of the heater, rubbing them together to get some feeling back into them.

"It was fine. We were delayed for a bit because they didn't know when this snow was going to start but it wasn't that long of a wait," she replied as she checked the time on the dashboard clock. 6:45.

"Well, your mother has a big dinner planned and then we're going to Granny's," he said.

"Granny's? Won't it be closed on Christmas Eve?" Emma asked, confused.

"Granny Lucas wanted to keep it open. Since Ruby's been gone, she's been a bit lonely and when I asked her she said that she wanted to spend Christmas Eve with anyone else who might be by themselves tonight and that it would be better to spend the night with the town rather than being alone. I told her that we would stop by. One of my old friends from college and his family just moved to Storybrooke about a year ago, so meeting up with them."

Ah yes, the Jones family. Mary Margaret had mentioned it when she had called to invite Emma and Henry. She had said that they had two sons and both were coming up for the holiday and one was bringing his family.

"Okay," she replied, "but not too long please. It's been kind of a long day."

David nodded and then asked Henry how school was going and Emma stared out the window, watching as the snow flew past.

"UNCLE KILLIAN!"

That was all Killian heard before he felt two little bodies crash into him. His father had barely gotten the door closed behind him when they had come running over. He fell to a sitting position, his stuff scattering behind him, and he pretended for them that they were heavy enough to knock him down. His arms wrapped around both of them tight and he felt two sets of arms flanking his middle.

They pulled back from him, both balancing themselves on his outstretched legs, and he kept his hands on the smalls of their backs so they didn't fall. They had both grown so much since he last saw them. Looking at them, you wouldn't even know they were sisters, let alone twins. Rosie took after their mother, with her fiery red hair and smattering of freckles on her teeny nose, but Violet was the spitting image of Liam, brown hair, bright blue eyes and all.

"Why don't you ever come to play with us anymore?" Violet asked, tilting her head. Rosie nodded, the looks on their faces pulling at Killian's heartstrings.

"Well sweethearts, I've had to work a lot lately. But on the way here, I spoke to Santa to ask him how to make it up to you and he said he would leave a few extra presents under the tree for the two of you." Their faces immediately lit up.

"He said that?" Rosie shrieked and when Killian nodded, both of them threw their arms around his neck, almost knocking him back for real this time.

"Okay, time to stop choking your uncle," Liam said, coming up to them and pulling the girls off before helping him up. Aislinn and Killian's mother, Fiona, trailed behind him.

"I'm so glad you could make it love," Fiona said in her lilting Irish accent, hugging him. There had been a time when he thought he had outgrown hugs from his mom, but now that he didn't get them as often, he found himself reveling in them.

"Sorry I'm so late. I wish I could have been here sooner," he said into her shoulder.

"Nonsense. You're here. That's all that matters," she said, as she pulled back.

He exchanged a greeting with Aislinn, kissing her cheek, and then they went into the dining room, where a large feast was set out, while his father took his things up to the room where he would be sleeping.

"I need to wash up quickly. I'll be down soon," he said to his dad as he came down.

"Alright, your stuff is in the guest room at the end of the hall," he answered in his gruff voice. His father's accent was a bit thicker than his mother's since he had spent more time in Ireland before coming to America. Killian nodded, and headed up the stairs. He found his room, opening up his suitcase so he could find his toothpaste and brush.

Funny.

He didn't remember packing a bra.

Emma's phone buzzed on the bed as she stared at the paradox in front of her. What she had expected to be her clothes were instead men's shirts, dress pants, and jackets, as well as a few carefully wrapped presents. She picked up her phone, not recognizing the number, but answered anyway.

"Hello?"

"Is this Emma Nolan?" a male voice responded on the other end.

"Yeah, who is this?"

"My name is Killian Jones. I think I have your suitcase. Is it red? I got this number from the tag but I want to make sure it's you."

"Yeah it is," she said, checking for a tag as well. She found it tied around the side handle and sure enough, the name Killian Jones was on it, as well as a New York address.

"Well, looks like I have yours too. Where are you? Maybe we can meet somewhere."

"I'm in a town called Storybrooke with my family."

"That makes it easy. I'm in Storybrooke as well. I'm having dinner with my family tonight, but maybe we can meet at the diner tomorrow morning?" she asked him.

"Of course."

They made plans to meet at 11, and as she went through her carry on to get her make up and the extra set of clothes she had packed (her mom had trained her to do that ever since she was little), she couldn't help but think about how lovely his voice had sounded.

The smell of sandwiches and coffee filled the air in the diner. People were gathered at the booths and bar stools, mingling and laughing and enjoying the company. The Nolans found a table in the middle, and David and Emma shoved the one next to it for the Jones family to sit at. Soon enough, an older dark haired man and woman walked in together. A big smile cracked into the woman's face, her eyes crinkling as Mary Margaret stood up and embraced her. David stood as well, going to shake the older man's hand, and small formal conversation started between the two of them.

They were followed by another couple, younger this time, the man with the same dark brown hair as the older man, but the woman with him was redheaded, and they each carried a little girl in their arms. Emma greeted all of them, the older couple introducing themselves as Thomas and Fiona, the younger couple being their son Liam and his wife Aislinn, and their twin girls Violet and Rosie. Rosie was friendly, but when Emma introduced herself to Violet, she burrowed her face into her father's shoulder, and they all let out a little laugh. The twins were set free, and they ambled over to the table to sit with Henry.

One last man came through the door. His hair was dark, just like Liam's and Thomas'. There was a few days of growth along his cheeks, and his lashes were so long that it appeared he was wearing eyeliner. His midnight blue shirt, while a bit ill fitting, brought out his eyes, making them appear electric blue. Emma couldn't stop herself from staring. He went around, introducing himself to her family, and when he finally came to her, he stuck out his hand.

"Killian Jones," he said.

A light went off in Emma's head, snapping her out of her daze.

"You have my suitcase!" she exclaimed and then clapped her hand over her mouth, wishing that those hadn't been the first words she had said. The rest of the group looked over at them, all of them either puzzled or concerned, with the exception of Henry who was showing his phone to Rosie and Violet at the table.

"Wait...are you Emma? Emma Nolan?" he asked, bemused. She nodded and heard someone begin to chuckle. She looked over to see Liam on the verge of losing it. He came up to Killian, patting him on the back.

"No wonder you asked to borrow my shirt. I was thinking that you were being too lazy to go through your things, but now? Oh god," he said through his laughter. Killian turned bright red.

"Well," he said, scratching behind his ear, "this is awkward. I guess it'll be easier to spot each other tomorrow then. Unless you wanted to...?"

"No, no, it's fine. One night can't hurt. I haven't touched any of your things. It's fine," she answered. His face returned to a normal color and a smile slowly spread across his face.

"Let's try this again. I'm Killian," he said, sticking out his hand again.

"Emma," she said as she took it, letting him embrace it in his warm and strong grip, a smile spreading across her own face.

Killian stared at his phone screen, his mug of coffee forgotten. It was fairly early, so the diner was almost empty, except for an elderly woman who Killian had recognized as Ruby's grandmother from the pictures on her desk.

Emma's suitcase was propped up next to him. He was wearing the same clothes from yesterday, but he had sprayed himself liberally with cologne so he hoped he didn't smell too bad. Regina had sent him a bunch of emails yelling at him about how Ruby had taken off and told her to email one of the other editors if she had questions and that Killian needed to "DO SOMETHING" about it. He squeezed his nose bridge between his thumb and forefinger, setting his phone down.

"Stressful job?" a voice asked. He looked up to see Emma standing over him. Her lovely blonde hair was down, covered by a hat, and she was wearing a peacoat and a striped scarf. His suitcase dragged behind him.

"Yeah, just a little bit. I barely got away for the week, but it seems work has followed me," he answered as he motioned for her to sit.

"Tell me about it. My job isn't a walk in the park either."

"What do you do?"

"I'm a detective for the NYPD. You?"

"Book editor. I have some...needy clients, to say the least." Emma smirked at that, and he was finding himself transfixed by her smile. It didn't just light up her face; it was enough to light up an entire room, like it was her own superpower. He had noticed as much last night, as he had found himself focused more on her than what was going on.

"Well I'm thinking we should exchange cargo now. I'm going to be honest here, I'm wearing pajamas under this coat." Killian chuckled and nodded, and they traded.

"Merry Christmas," Killian said, and it was Emma's turn to laugh.

The conversation after that was easy, with him telling her about spending time in Ireland and her telling him about growing up in Storybrooke. Before they both knew it, an hour had passed.

"I should be getting back to my family," Emma said, looking at her watch. Killian agreed. It was still early, but he knew his nieces would be up soon and they would want to see what Santa had brought them. They got their stuff together and headed towards the door. Emma stopped him just as he was about to leave.

"Hey, it was nice meeting you. Do you think we could do something like this again, you know, when we're not wearing dirty clothing?" she asked. Before he could reply, someone came bursting through the diner door, and pushed in between the two of them. Emma stumbled and would have fallen had Killian not hooked an arm around her waist. The woman quickly turned to apologize, but her face broke into a grin when she saw who it was she had crashed into.

"Emma, Killian! Sorry for nearly taking you both out with a door but..." she trailed off when she saw what position they were in. Her grin turned to a smirk, as she saw her coworker holding onto her childhood best friend. The two quickly separated when they saw her expression and she came over to greet them. Emma gave her a long hug, one that made him think they hadn't seen each other in a while.

"Ruby," Killian greeted, "So this is what Regina was talking about when she emailed me?" A slightly guilty expression crossed her face.

"Yeah. I would have stayed but she was just being awful and I figured it wouldn't be the end of the world if she went to another editor like she was threatening."

"I understand, besides you deserve to see your grandmother. It is Christmas afterall," he replied.

"I'm glad you see it my way. So...what's going on between the two of you?" she asked, gesturing between him and Emma.

"Oh, uh, nothing," Emma said, "Our suitcases got mixed up at the airport so we were just meeting up to give them back to each other."

"And you just happened to be from the same town? Sounds like fate." Her grin got even wider.

"It was a happy coincidence, yes," Killian said quickly, wanting her to drop it.

"Uh huh. Just like it's a happy coincidence that Granny decided to hang mistletoe over the doorway this year and you two just happen to be standing under it."

Emma and Killian both looked up and sure enough, it was hanging there.

"Well I'll leave you guys to it. I should help my grandmother in the kitchen. Granny, I'm home!" they heard her yell as she walked off. Their eyes came back to each other. Her green eyes were hesitant at first but then a mischievous glint crossed them.

"I guess it is tradition," she said.

"I guess so," he replied smiling.

She slowly leaned up putting her hand on his chest, while he put his lightly on her waist. Her lips brushed against his, just a hint of a kiss, a promise of more. He found himself not wanting to let go, just wanting to keep hold of her soft, warm body for just a bit longer, so he just leaned back a little.

"To answer your question from earlier, I would love to do something like this again."

Her smile was as white as the snow that was just beginning to fall outside. They walked out, clasping the hands that weren't carrying their suitcases behind them and headed home.


End file.
